


Proxy Cosmos- Andromeda

by Bloogerstien



Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-18 15:02:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10619397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bloogerstien/pseuds/Bloogerstien
Summary: An alternate setting where Alec Ryder lives and both twins are awake during the events of Andromeda.





	1. Chapter 1

The Hyperion hummed to life, lights and the first breaths awakening the crew from a six hundred and some years long journey. What was once a dark and dead ship burst into a sudden flurry of life, pounding feet and racing hearts preparing for a new start. The most notably active room of the ship was the med bay, where the first explorers to awaken from cryo. An Asari and a couple human doctors split themselves between the patients, working over each one in a quick but thorough manner: a few lines of conversation and a scan to read vitals.

Elsee glanced across the aisle at her brother being questioned by the Asari (Lexi? wasn't it?) curious as to his impression of waking up, but not feeling bold enough to bring up the conversation for herself. She wanted to remark on how she always was a minute ahead of him, but it seemed inappropriate at the time. He would not like being called out in front of this many strangers, so Elsee waited.

"So, how does it feel to finally be in Andromeda?" The patient beside her asked, his British accent thick in his speech. His gentle nudge waking her completely.

"I'll tell you once I don't feel so popsicle-ish," she murmured. Her brother's gaze turned to look at both of them.

The man chuckled, "one of the many things the brochure does not cover."

"Yeah, that might be bad P- OUF!"

Andromeda was off to a rough start.

======

_Scott's eyes kept pinned on the door, watching, tapping, waiting to see if Elsee would show. Dad already had left and reentered the room several times over the course of an hour. True to his nature he said nothing, only leaving with an agitated shake of his head and a flex of fingers before they balled into a fist._

_Another hour passed, and Alec's fist clapped on his shoulder._

_"Scott, I don't think-"_

_"Did you even expect her to show up?"_

_His grip tightened, "Your mother wouldn't want the Ryder family to be divided."_

_"Maybe you," no, you was unfair- it was just as much him, "should have considered that before you screamed at her."_

_"She wasn't taking training seriously." Still, Alec was slow to see that he could be wrong._

_"Have you ever taken her seriously?"_

_Alec's face knotted, a slow scowl crossing his lips, "Now this is entirely my fault? Your temper also has-"_

_"Well, I got my temper from you," Scott interrupted, "and she got your stubbornness. So I guess us Ryders are just fucked."_

_"Scott-" but Alec found his words stuck._

_"Yeah, keeping saying nothing like you usually do," he huffed, pulling away from his father. It was desperate, but he found himself at the windowsill hoping that his sister would appear. "She has a life here, Dad. Friends, maybe even a lover. We don't have anything keeping us here, hell if anything we are being chased out. But maybe Elsee is better off here; we should accept that."_

_Alec grimaced, he knew it wouldn't be safe much longer, "Have you tried calling her?"_

_"Dad-," he sought to control the hiss, "she wouldn't pick up."_

_"You haven't tr-" Alec always regretted pushing Scott to this point._

_"Dad!" Scott whirled away from the window, "You should have tried years ago! I should have tried years ago. We both needed to be there when mom died, but we decided it was easier to run away. Not to mention the alienation act you-"_

_His turn for interruption was not from Alec, but the door opening behind him. Elsee's lower lip tucked under her teeth, sensing that she had just walked into something that she should not have. With both of the men unexpectedly turning to look at her, she grew mortified._

_"I'm so-, I was... am late," she stuttered._

_Their father's grin just etched her former expression deeper into her face._

======

Andromeda was a hell hole.

Or, at least Habitat Seven was.

The shuttle ride was certainly meant to be among the least of their worries, but as it tore apart in the wind like wet paper the hope of a smooth ride to the planet faded. The jump jet malfunction was just an added bonus, leaving Elsee and Scott screaming for their lives. The mountain approached quickly.

It had ended a bit happier than a hard collision with the ground. Elsee's helmet had suffered a crack, but it left them little worse for wear. Even Liam, the fellow she had briefly spoken to on the Hyperion had shown up again. But that was the end of their luck, in regards to what was on the planet.

The lightning storms were manageable if one watched for the rocks that floated before it struck. The mysterious enemies were far from a creature of myth but went down between the three of them without much of a struggle (after First Contact Protocol had been followed). It could be a pleasant place for a summer home.

They found the shuttle their father had taken, to end up in another fight with the bone covered creatures. Gaining Cora just before the short jaunt to Alec's nav point. The old marine surveyed the movements of the beings below, eyes darting between the scattered lightning rods. Barely turning to greet the party behind him.

"Who are these guys?" Cora questioned Ryder Sr.

"Visitors, just like us. I don't think they're native to the planet."

"They're not. We found an abandoned lab like they've been studying the place," Elsee injected.

"Good work, you actually did some scouting."

It was likely meant as a compliment, but she never saw her father meaning it, so a slightly sarcastic response was in order, "wouldn't be much of a recon specialist if I didn't."

"Well, you're off to a good start," his chuckle was deceptive.

"Baptism by fire," stealing his words was sufficient. Scott's hand grazed her elbow, calming whatever was left below.

Cora intervened, returning the subject to the weather and the enemies below them. Alec had set charges around the rods to even out the math, yes it meant they could get hit but thinning out enemies was worth the risk. Her father had already decided these Aliens were the enemy, so who was she to fight it? With a team as large as the one gathered and with the help of SAM, storming the ancient structures would be easy.

Alec was a force of nature all unto himself, burning and cleaving his way through the enemy forces with an ease that left the sibling Ryders quite jealous. The small team behind him seemed only to slow him down, rather than help his steam roll through the strange structure. Within minutes they stood before a door that was unlike the rest of the structure surrounding it- matching closely to the strange tower swirling with clouds and lightning above them.

"Scott, I need your help over here! We need to get this door open," of course, calling for Scott above all others.

"On it," he replied obediently, putting his back into lifting the heavy door.

"Do you really think we can shut this thing down," Scott questioned.

"I don't know yet, SAM's decoded part of the language," trying in his way to reassure the Ryder less comfortable with taking risks, "Now we'll see if I can have a conversation."

"I think we should wait for the shuttle, just in case," he cautioned, causing Alec to give that thought pause, so Scott finished the thought, "if it blows we'll be out of luck. It would suck to get this far just to be killed by the security system."

"We have enough firepower to hold this position," Liam chimed it, "sir."

Alec's face skewed, weighing the risks and benefits of reacting rashly to waiting for a safer plan. Liam was right, and so was Scott. Pushing unknown technology was asking for trouble, but they would have never breached the Charon Relay if it had not been for brash action- but then again, it had started an entire war. Not the best start for his family.

"SAM, start translating," deciding on waiting for the evac shuttle to be en route, "Elsee, what can your Prothean expertise tell us about this?"

She jumped from her investigation of the strange aliens, leaving it behind with a last look. Truth be told, she would rather be studying the corpse than looking at strange glyphs. She was trained in biology, not archeology- or whatever this could be considered. The little evidence they had pointed to these aliens being responsible, but just as much evidence pointed away from them as well. It was frankly too early to have any real grasp.

Walking into the small room did little else but daunt her- the glowing blue triangles throwing all theories out of the window.

"Indexing," SAM announced.

"I don't see much correlation to the alien structure around the- this structure- the styles are opposing. A scan of the earlier site I found dated one of these structures to be three to four hundred years old, but the base we just fought through is only a few decades old at most," Elsee gathered what little she had hypothesized, "the newcomers style is circular, while the settlers or civilization that created this were more geometric. I don't think they are the same group, but you already figured that."

Alec nodded.

"Unless they felt the need for complete aesthetic difference from their ancestors because even the stark difference of color could indicate-"

Scott made a loud snore, interrupting the further musing of his sister. Alec rolled his eyes.

"Translation complete," SAM's interruption ending any possible conflict.

Alec cleared his throat, "Let's see what we have." Approaching the display beside his daughter.

"Nothing on this planet has listened so far. Just... be careful."

"Worried about your old man, huh?," He snickered, "I won't tell anyone."

Elsee huffed, her attempt to turn away stopped by her father, gently grabbing her hand.

"Come on, these are the moments that make it all worthwhile."

Rather than lifting his hand to the display, he guided his daughter's upward. Letting her interface with the alien tech. He had made his own first discovery for the textbooks; he was willing to let his daughter have this one. Releasing his grip once SAM started to interface with the display, and turning to walk out of the room the bright blue lights silhouetting his departure.

"I'll be damned... it's working!" Scott called to his father, holding his hand at his brow to shield from the suddenly piercing sunlight, "We did it!"

"There's hope atleast."

"And our shuttle, for sure," Scott commented with a smirk, "this is turning out better-"

No, Scott- optimism was never a good color on him. As the world took a three sixty on him, sending him flying off the edge of the platform in a rush of fog. His sister's screaming rising above the rest of the sounds he could not pinpoint. It was instinctual, after all, hearing the screams of his closest friend above all others. Finding his body reaching out to find that sound, even after it had ended. Panicking when he found the sound transformed into gasping and sputtering.

Forcing his body to cooperate he stumbled to the smaller figure of his sister clawing through the dirt. Face plate exposed and open, beyond what the Omni-tool could manage to fix. Her muted brown eyes looking at him in worry, knowing this would be the end. Her first experience breathing in this air had already warned both of them to the dangers of breathing in the air.

Why did she always play hero? If only she hadn't pushed him from tumbling down the mountainside. Sometimes, he thought, she took the role of big sister too seriously. Made too many rash decisions just to protect a little brother that did not always need it.

"Scott! Scott! The shuttle!" Alec's voice came with a sharp shove, toppling him out of the path to his daughter. Picking her up with with a surprisingly gentle motion, his face etched in a worry that Scott had not witnessed for years.

"Run, boy!" Alec worked toward the unthinkable, removing her helmet as the first step. "Run, like our lives depend on it."


	2. Chapter 2

"It's a seizure! Her brain can't handle the connection!"

"Don't you dare, Elsee. Don't you dare leave me alone with him," Scott screamed at his sister, running her cot down the lengthening halls of the Hyperion. Lexi's glance betrayed her inner battle to force him away from the situation, her lips moving as the monolog worked its way through her.

"Ryder's implant is overloading, I suggest a hardwire connection," Scott did have an improvement for SAM, make the damned thing respond accordingly to the situation. His calm and collected voice did nothing to soothe him, just irritated him beyond belief.

As if hearing his distress, Elsee's hand reached for him. She still pulled through for him, even when half ways dead. That last show of effort the final blow in her struggle to stay alive.

_One, two, three, four, five, six._

SAM's calm voice announced that she was clinically dead. Offering a cold apology for the life lost to them, the machine's expression of condolence falling short.

_Seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen._

He didn't remember screaming, just the warm arms surrounding him. Holding him tightly in shared grief, the blur of his emotions too consuming to realize the man holding him was crying too. Attempting to soothe a man he hardly knew.

_Fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen._

Those arms released him, allowing his body to slip to the floor. But he wasn't left alone, no, the stranger stayed at his side. Instead, the hand on his shoulder kept him grounded, something to focus on that wasn't his sister's death. Scott's head stopped swaying.

_Twenty, Twenty-one, Twenty-two._

He was numb, was he supposed to be numb already?

* * *

 

Elsee gasped.

Within seconds, SAM confirmed the best possible news. She would live. Scott wasn't ready to move just yet, so he remained, allowing the doctors time to scramble over his sister without getting in his way.

"I'm already reading that you Ryders are a stubborn bunch," Liam mused.

Scott's coarse laugh felt unnatural, "you'll come to regret that soon."

The man chuckled offering out a hand, Scott took the help regaining his feet.

"Doctor T'Perro, Doctor Carlyle, Scott; there has been another complication that we must discuss," SAM's voice chimed before he had made it more than a step away from the node.

"SAM?" Lexi and Scott echoed.

"To save Elsee I had to interface with her on a deeper level," if Scott didn't know better, he thought the AI was feeling uneasy, "removing her implant or my connection to her will be...problematic, likely resulting in her death."

"Dad will love this."

======

"So, we technically have two human pathfinders now?" Scott asked as Ryder Sr was finally out of earshot of any Nexus officials.

Alec's explanation of Elsee's transfer had come at an awkward time, or rather his willingness to speak about it came at an awkward moment. Alec had hoped Scott would forget it in the blur of running into the rest of the Milky way's travelers to Andromeda. He almost had- especially as the daunting news hit them one after another. Garson, failed worlds, riots, expulsions, and the widespread trouble with the aliens -Kett- they had encountered on habitat seven. But his son wasn't going to let it slide.

"Yes, some glitch in the programming," Alec didn't like the word glitch. Not in association with his work. If word got out that he had removed various safety locks and boosted SAM, it could get him into hot water. Even in another galaxy where the role of an AI was not viewed as entirely evil. Giving himself an advantage over the other Pathfinder's could also disrupt a fragile alliance between the species, which in retrospect was just asking for trouble. But he was here now and needed to deal with the consequences of his actions before Scott peeled back more of the layers.

Scott chuckled, "wouldn't the Nexus leadership be happy about that. Some untested newbie having all the authority of a Pathfinder."

"Addison would quit on the spot," Alec found the thought amusing, "Tann would have a field day, he'd be glad to have someone new to try and indoctrinate."

"Elsee will love this-"

"She doesn't need to know," Alec huffed, it would be easier that way.

"And why not? I get the not wanting to stir up shit, but we're already down three Pathfinders having one more could tip the balance for team Milky Way."

"Or tipping the balance toward team human could result in breaking down all diplomacy the Nexus has left."

It was Scott's turn to sigh, "because buffing up your own SAM wasn't enough."

Alec went silent, not answering was always easier. His son may not have pushed him away as much as his daughter had, but things were still not comfortable between them. Alec's discharge had caused Scott many issues throughout his short career- he was at fault for the boy being stationed at a relay. It was likely the cementing reason for Scott agreeing to relocate to another Galaxy; he had little choice of a fair life back home.

Alec's coughing into his hand the only interruption of the silence between them.

Scott distracted himself for a few minutes longer by looking over the terminal detailing the last year. He was brooding and hovering over something. His bottom lip was protruding in the grimace his face wore.

"Aren't you going to see her?" He finally spoke.

"I don't think she would appreciate waking to her 'dear' old dad," Alec deflected, "besides, I need to prepare for our departure to Eos."

His son snorted, whirling passed him with quick steps. The door closed loudly, finally allowing Alec to study the speckles of blood dotting his palms.

======

Elsee shot from the cot, breathing in deeply as if all oxygen had left her for hours. Waking up to an unfamiliar room was a harsh wake-up call from what one thought was their death. Her eyes followed the ring of pale blue light until she calmed.

"Welcome back, Elsee," SAM greeted.

"What happened?"

"You were clinically dead for twenty-two seconds."

It felt longer, the way her body ached.

"Did the rest of the team make it?" Elsee remembered her brother reaching for her, then her dad inexplicably removing his helmet.

"Hey," the voice that came was soft, a low rumble coming from the floor beneath the cot, "you're still with us."

"So I'm not a ghost," she let out a hiss, moving her left leg sent a branch of pain burning up her spine, "fuck, I can feel pain."

Rumbling laughter escaped his lips as he rose from the floor, "unless this is some wacky comedy about a cop and their paranormal partner."

Elsee grinned, receiving one in return as the man spoke into the Omni-tool, "guys, get to SAM node! Ryder is awake."

Carefully she picked her way to the edge of the bed, placing her feet on the ground as an easy start. That went well, so she felt comfortable twisting around the see SAM's tube behind her the light still a little bright for her liking.

"So, who were you talking to?"

"SAM?" she stated with a cock of her head.

"I didn't hear him."

"Maybe, I'm the one with a quirky paranormal partner," Elsee deadpanned. His chuckle was born out of politeness, but she had something else on her mind, "My father... Scott, where are they?"

"Ahh, that," Liam cleared his throat, "they're fine. Sadly no champagne."

"Champagne?" Had she missed something?

"You might not need to hear this right now, but the Nexus is a mess," Liam breathed in deeply, the way his eyes shifted away making Elsee think he was hiding something.

"And?" she pressed.

"We're the first ark to arrive," he flinched, requiring another goad from Elsee to continue, "none of the golden worlds have panned out. Some riots, stuff like that. Apparently, the Nexus wasn't even aware we were here at first. But hey now that we brought them a Pathfinder, this can all be fixed."

"That's," she stuttered, still processing all of this at once, "that's quite a bit of bad luck."

"Idiot mouth should have waited to say anything."

"No, I needed to hear it. But, thanks," Elsee looked at her hands," is the Nexus everything we hoped it would be?"

"I haven't seen it for myself."

"Why not?"

Liam's words came with an easy roll of his shoulders, "it wouldn't be fair if you were the only one left out," it was unashamed, open, and for once said without the wake of tragedy, "plus waking up in a strange place after nearly dying would be a little scary."

A smile crawled its way across her lips, beaming at the man, who met her glance with a gentle, but unyielding look in his big amber eyes, "you shouldn't have. But thank you, Liam."

His crooked smile was heartbreaking.

"Scott and my father aren't the type to show, " rather than continue to sit around and be smitten by this man Elsee decided it was time to get moving, her first attempt ended with little more than her ass replanted in the cot. The second attempt ended on a better note, as the kind man continued to extend support by pulling her up and into his side. Stooping down, so her much shorter frame didn't need to extend her arm too extremely. The scent of shea butter with the hint of coconut assaulted her at once, inhaling it the scent with appreciation.

"Now, you are definitely Prince Charming," she cooed.

"Find me a horse; I'll do better," making an exaggerated show out of his wink.

"Does that include waking me from slumber with true love's first kiss?" The words left her with a face sprawling blush, damn, was she embarrassing herself.

His belly rolled with laughter, the hand not holding her waist covered his mouth. Sending both of them teetering off balance, while he attempted to regain his composure. Despite the way her face was flaming under heat, she couldn't help but fall victim to the infectious laughter. Elsee didn't know why, it was terrifying, her mouth was terrifying.

"That was horrible," she balked out.

"Be a tease, El," he gurgled through chuckles.

"El?"

"Seemed shorter, is that okay?"

"I like it."

======

Scott hustled from the door with a shake of his head, he could always visit Elsee later. For now letting her flirt was preferable to the awkwardness of interrupting whatever poor attempt she was making.


	3. Chapter 3

For what must have been the billionth time, El considered picking up the perfectly placed clump of dirt and chucking it at Scott. At least starting a fight with him would give Elsee a target her father would not eliminate just as she had aimed. Plus it would give her something to do even for a short while, as the second abandoned site proved to be of little entertainment value. Even as a fiend tore through the base, her father was hardly phased taking the monster down with a speed that was almost irritating. Worse than that, her father threw it a compliment on her skill of using incinerate on the plated beast. Elsee honestly felt it made little difference; the compliment twisted through her mind and gut uncomfortably.  
  
Scott's finger made contact with her elbow, drawing her out of that loop.   
  
Alec hacked violently against the side of the Nomad, splatters of blood coloring the orange-yellow ground with red. Call her a horrible daughter, but she debated on calling him out on it. Lexi (after finding her halfway through the atrium) had lamented that the Ryders were all being stubborn, and something about rounding them up was like herding chickens. Alec, to her knowledge, had yet to see the doctor after habitat seven. Elsee had died, so how was her father still standing? Maybe he hadn't breathed in as much of the toxic air, but it was obviously affecting him. Mentioning it would start a fight.  
  
Add masochism to her list of ever growing kinks.  
  
"That's not healthy."  
  
"What?" Alec reeled as the Nomad spun into forward.  
  
El was a master of this sort of timing. With the Nomad in motion, and just comfortably out of the safe zones, her father was trapped into having this conversation. Scott gave her the death glare but decided to wait on arguing with her methods just yet. He was curious as to what she had to say but knew that it wasn't going to be a fun conversation. Especially not stuck in the Nomad between the two hot heads.   
  
Please kill him already. Or at least a coma would be nice.  
  
"Coughing blood," Elsee chirped lightly, "it's the tropiest sign that something is horribly wrong."  
  
"Are you showing concern about your old man again?" Alec tried to turn it against Elsee.  
  
"Or about the driver catapulting us to our deaths because he can't control the vehicle and his cough at the same time," Elsee drew in a deep breath, "sir."  
  
Alec tapped against the wheel, his eyes suddenly focusing on the terrain before them.  
  
"Dad?" Scott urged.  
  
"On a mission, it is 'sir' to you!" He didn't mean a word he said, anger was just easier than admitting a problem, his only apology the softening of his voice, "the mission comes first."  
  
"Before or after the Pathfinder dies in the field?" she wasn't so easily pushed from the fight, "you need to get it checked out before it becomes a real problem. What happens when you give out in a firefight?"  
  
"I have you tw-"  
  
"No, no you don't. We are hardly reliable as soldiers compared to your expertise. Besides, even if we make it through that battle what is the Nexus going to do without the only person who knows what the fuck they are doing?"  
  
"They've survived this long with Tann running the show," only Scott chuckled, Elsee wasn't in on the joke, "relax, I'm not going anywhere."  
  
======  
  
 _She playfully shoved her brother aside, his retaliation a hip bump._  
  
 _"Even if I have bad aim at least I don't make this constipated face everytime an enemy doesn't go down."_  
  
 _"I do not look constipated," he argued._  
  
 _Her lips turned downward, and her bottom lip puffed out, furrowing her brow artfully to attain perfect replication of his previous expression, "all I need to do now is constantly flex my fingers, but you know a gun makes that difficult."_  
  
 _"Is this another because you are older than me joke? Or do I need to repeat myself a little louder?" Scott murmured, ignoring the immature tongue poked in his direction._  
  
 _"Oh, let me rephrase that in a way you can understand," one sibling (Elsee) leaped at the other, attempting to wrangle his head so that she could give him the noogie of a lifetime._  
  
 _"Enough!" Their fun never did seem to last long, as Father's voice boomed from the doorway. The twins both straightened up in record time. Backs straight and arms folded behind them as nothing had happened._  
  
 _"Scott, good work. Just work on where you hit the enemies, find a weak spot and they won't take more than one shot to down," his finger pointed at his daughter, "you must take this more seriously. I didn't teach you to miss targets."_  
  
 _"Take. This. Seriously?" Elsee balked._  
  
 _"Because you need to be shot at in person to take combat seriously?" Alec returned._  
  
 _"Oh, no. I get it. Get shot, pow dead," Alec's forced expression was losing foothold with each word, "but putting Dalek's in the simulation? I didn't think you had a sense of humor; I dared to hope but..."_  
  
 _"Daleks?"_  
  
 _"You know," Elsee straightened both arms, waving them up and down opposite of each other, "EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"_  
  
 _Scott tried his hardest to hide his chuckle, but he knew his father caught it. Elsee held a good poker face and didn't relent under Alec's harshening scrutiny._  
  
 _"Hey, Scott, did you see that one ramming against the bottom step? That was classic, their greatest enemy is not the Doctor- but the stairs," she was misreading the situation, or most obviously ignoring it, "that would be a great episode."_  
  
 _"Right after the battle of the slight incline," announced the voice with a British accent over the intercom._  
  
 _Of course, her response was to enact it with the appropriate noises, "Rrrrrrttt~ Rrrrrrrrrt, rrrrrrrrtttt~."_  
  
 _Alec's face went from exasperation to complete rage, shortly._  
  
 _He turned toward the black window overlooking the arena, "to the idiot with the enlightening commentary, you will be lucky to leave here with pay, and you," he whirled, finger dangerously in Elsee's face, "you must take this more seriously! The Initiative doesn't need a deadbeat who can't take her job seriously!"_  
  
 _"Why would I? Before today I wasn't even sure this was for real. I only showed up because I was worried you got Scott sucked into something," she scoffed, an eyebrow held high, she was breaking, " now that I see that this deluded fantasy is happening, I'm not sure I want to be here."_  
  
 _"You would break up the family?"_  
  
 _"Elsee, Dad," Scott's plea fell on deaf ears._  
  
 _"This?" her arms motioned to the male Ryders, "this a family? Just to name the most recent family trauma: you left me to deal with Mom's funeral by myself. Awkward speeches, and terrible excuses for why you both weren't there... that was fun."_  
  
 _"So you'd risk never seeing us again to a grudge?" Alec's words playing with a fire he couldn't handle, he wouldn't have behaved any differently than his daughter under the same circumstances._  
  
 _"A grudge? A grudge? Seriously?!" By now she had already pivoted herself away from both of them, staring down the door that reached within a very reasonable distance. She dearly loved them both, but moving to another galaxy with a family that she barely felt comfortable around? That was a long stretch. Scott would be the greatest loss of the two, but just following them seemed like suicide. For a galaxy, they might never arrive at? And at best one that had undergone six hundred and some years of change before they arrived. It was insane, stupid, tempting._  
  
 _Her father's silence was hardly surprising, "Here, let me do something you will understand."_  
  
 _Elsee marched out of the room._  
  
======  
  
"Hey, look, the source of that mysterious signal," Alec taunted with sudden enthusiasm.   
  
She decided to be silent, and Scott could finally breathe comfortably again. The fighting would stop for a few precious minutes. Now would be an excellent time to simultaneously beg and thank some deity. If he had one, oh well.  
  
Being the quietest Ryder was difficult.  
  
Elsee hung behind the group, moping in her own way by being completely useless. Well, useless as she could be, already her wheels were turning, her head craned at the device atop one of the spires. He followed her path, noting that two devices scanned something atop the small towers. Alec went to the more obvious console at the center of the ruin, SAM interfacing with the device to discover its secrets.   
  
"Building connection. I apologize for any discomfort. The systems seems unstable." SAM commenting on the strange tech.  
  
"Is this what happened when we tried doing this on Habitat Seven?" Alec asked of the AI. Elsee began climbing the tower, at the corner of Scott's perception.  
  
"Your daughter interfaced directly with the atmosphere processor. That proved extremely hazardous." At least the AI seemed to have a handle on speaking sense in Alec, "These structures could reveal its control sensor. System remains unstable. Doubling our power input might accelerate the process."  
  
"I'll give it a shot," placing his hand over the console.  
  
"Wait!" called a blue and purple blur.  
  
The blur rushed into the senior Ryder, pushing him into the ground. The thud of his head unpleasantly accompanying the clash of armor plating. The coy look the Asari must have usually worn turned to horror as the man beneath her sputtered, a trickle of blood leaking from the side of his mouth. His cough violently resurfacing at the sudden fall to the ground. SAM within moments warned of unusual vitals coming from the Pathfinder.   
  
Elsee interrupted from her scanning was already calling the Tempest to pick up her father. Scott pushed the Asari aside, swooping in to pick Alec up from his back.   
  
The Asari scattered backward on her hands and feet, "Don't rush the glyphs, bad things happen. Also remnant, they shoot people."  
  
Neither of them felt the need to chase after the Asari who scurried away.   
  
"No, Scott, I'm fine," Alec huffed, coughing up an entire glob of blood, "it just caught me off guard."  
  
"No, you aren't Dad!"  
  
"Scott," the name unrecognizable in the hacking and heaving mess Alec was making on the cool blue ground.   
  
"ETA, three minutes," Elsee called from her perch. Her scanner returning to the spot the machines scanned.  
  
With nothing more to do than wait, Scott supported Alec's weight not allowing him to hold his own footing. The man couldn't find the strength to fight him off, resigned to the task of keeping dignity in whatever small way he could. For now, that was not peppering his son with blood.   
  
With was the second time Elsee's jetpack ignited that Scott paid any attention to her, watching as she curiously regarded the console.   
  
"With Elsee's scanned glyphs, I was able to stabilize the system. I'm establishing a connection," SAM drolled as the tallest towers connected with a beam of blue energy.  
  
Alec looked in her general direction, sporting a look that held pride in his daughter. But she was too busy looking over Scott's shoulder to notice it.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
Elsee's gun fired over his shoulder, taking down a strange bot that clunked loudly behind him. The sound of several other machines whirred to life behind him. Scott forced himself and Alec behind the console, pulling out his gun to assist Elsee. After a few fired shots, his usefulness in helping had been overturned The shuttle from the Tempest arriving with covering fire from Cora and Liam. The few enemies left went down quickly.  
  
Cora's first goal was to support the curmudgeonly old man who still tried to insist he did not need help. Liam more preoccupied with checking on the robots with Elsee at his side. Elsee pretended to not sneak a look in her father's direction, but Alec did not fail to catch her attention in a moment of clarity.  
  
"Keep going, daughter," Alec started coughing again, "you've got this figured out. I'll be back in no time."


	4. Chapter 4

"If you're trying to hide, I don't think you're doing a great job."

Scott looked up at the Turian, regarding her with a soft smile. He remembered meeting Vetra, but had little time to get to her know her in the whirl of events since boarding the Tempest. Most of the drama had been utterly the fault of his family. Scott wished that he was more surprised.

"Yeah, I'm trying the broody act," Scott felt a smile curl a corner of his lip, "but I gave up halfway there."

"I don't know, seems pretty broody to me."

He chuckled. But now came the silence, he didn't want it, but it permeated the space between them. It wasn't for any particular kind of company, and certainly not for the physical kind of attention. He just craved the basic kind of affection from another being that was not a part of his family. Or someone not involved in that craziness. He wasn't open like Elsee, or gruff enough to prefer his own company like his Dad.

Vetra's mandibles vibrated, and as if sensing his need she sat down beside him. Long arms hanging over her knees. For several minutes they sat silently, breathing syncing together slowly. 

"Isn't family a pain in the ass, sometimes?" Vetra spoke softly.

"Literally," Scott smirked, leaning his head against the metal wall, "do you have any family of your own?"

"Yeah, a little sister...Sid. Brought her with me."

"She a pain in the ass?"

"Major pain in the ass," Vetra smirked. 

"I always wished I could be the older sibling; you get so much crap being the youngest. I watched you pick your nose; I watched you shake a turd out of your pants camping one year."

Vetra chuckled, "the whining is not worth it. I'm hungry; I had an accident. I'm bored. And oh, the crying. All the crying." 

Scott's laughter fell a little short, his attention returning to the darkened window of the med clinic. Dad was fine; he would recover with sufficient meds and rest, but that didn't make it any easier. Or perhaps it was everything, this entire shitty mess, starting to collapse on him. Now that the fires had stopped popping up, the calm allowed him to think rather than to simply react. It weighed on him, weighed on everyone on the Pathfinder's team heavily. 

"How did you hear of the Andromeda Initiative?" simple questions might keep her there longer.

"Short answer? Kesh," the turian's rumbling voice recalled the memory with pride, "She was looking for some experimental ship mods, and I knew how to track them down. I thought it was a one time deal, but she came back. Once, twice... eventually I figured out something was going on. Something big, with creds behind it," Vetra paused, looking out into the hallway like it had been just moments ago, "I asked, and she told me about the initiative. New galaxy, new home- couldn't pass that up."

"Wow, that's some laser will."

"Yeah? Was it too much? Some people get intimidated," Vetra purred. 

"We need that sort of drive," Scott kept it cool, "I just hope I can keep up."

"You'll keep up. And I promise I won't tell if you don't," the Turian got up from the floor.

"If you didn't just big sister me," Scott teased.

She huffed, offering out her claw, "Come on, 'little' Scott. I know something that might cheer you up."

======

Kallo pushed against Suvi, who in turn tried not to crowd Cora who waited in the doorway of the crew quarters. Gil, Liam, Vetra and Scott waited in the corridor, just out of reach of the sensor that would open the kitchen door. Lexi pretended not to be involved in the scene quietly happening outside her door, but she was just as interested. Even Alec's attention turned to the gathering groups.

"It smells sooo good," Suvi whined with a growl of her stomach.

"I want to eat it, even if it would kill me," Vetra agreed.

"You will not eat the human food, Vetra!" Lexi warned.

Gil smirked, "I'm going to savor it slowly for you Vetra."

"Who brought spices with them to Andromeda?" Cora asked, pretending to be focused on anything other than the smell of food.

"That would be Elsee," Scott snickered.

"The things I could get from that collection," Vetra murmured.

"Vetra, you can't. This smell, I cannot forget it," Kallo added in an appalled tone, "ever."

"Hopefully it's as good as it-"

"Ooof!" Elsee squeaked, suddenly running into the crowds gathering just outside the galley. She had shooed away a curious hand or two, but not the entire crew. 

They grinned, each with differing amounts of guilt. Cora stumbled forward as one of the two behind her pushed. Elsee twirled, keeping the covered pot safely from crashing. 

"Well," Elsee started slowly, gaining a smile, "we can all eat upstairs together. If, if you guys would like to."

"I'm up for it!" Gil volunteered first. The rest agreed with him. 

Elsee beamed, "Good, Cora if you would grab the large silver pan in the oven. Watch it; it's hot. Vetra if you wouldn't mind the small silver pan also in the oven. Suvi, if you'd grab the white one, also in the oven." Her first commands came sheepishly, but her confidence grew as each member agreed to their task, "Kallo, if you would be a dear and get the plates at the top of the cupboard. Gil and Scott, can you manage silverware? Including two spatulas, and two serving spoons. Liam, something to drink? Oh, Lexi, if you would grab the pan still on the element."

Scott and Gil battled over how many pieces were needed, and who would carry what. Much to nobody's surprise it ended in a duel of cutlery to the upper meeting room. Kallo remarked about how useful his height was, and the females took to their task with little shenanigans between them. Vetra seemed to be off put but wasn't going to ruin the fun.

Elsee barely made it out ahead of Liam who was juggling the drinks. 

The team had arranged the meal around the different displays on the central round table. They waited patiently for Elsee to set down the bulky container before they dared to think about approaching the food.

"Alright, guys," Elsee cleared her throat, "the menu for tonight is Chicken flavored with my special, secret seasoning," which sounded horribly dirty, "a buttered pea and lettuce bake, and garlic mashed potatoes. Vetra, dextro-friendly food is in the smaller pans, turian-chicken, and appropriate vegetables."

Vetra pepped up immediately.

"And on behalf of the good doctor, I must remind you all to eat a healthy portion of veggies, without just focusing on the potatoes. And also for the rest of us to avoid Vetra's portions," Elsee's glibness earning a smile from the doctor.

Cora started the line, muscling her way passed the rest of the rowdy crowd- Suvi who stayed on her coat tails was next. Gil, Liam, Lexi, then Scott made it up front next. Kallo urged Elsee to go before him, and Vetra unworried about getting enough food was fine with filling in last. After each got a plate they sat on the couch, with some taking the floor so that they did not need to be far from the rest of the group.

Elsee parked herself in the middle of the floor, waiting for everyone else's reactions.

"What is in your super secret seasoning?" The engineer asked with a raised eyebrow, double entrada fully intended.

Elsee made a face at Gil, "None of your beeswax."

"Not even a hint?" Suvi prodded.

"Fine, basil and rosemary are two ingredients of the blend," she answered with a smirk. 

"Where did you learn to cook, and flavor dextro foods?" Vetra commandeered the conversation after a few moments of silence.

"We had a few Quarians on pilgrimage at one of our dig sites, and a Turian from time to time. I even bought food neutralizers so I could test the recipes out myself."

"Nerd," her brother accused.

"Careful, Scott, tormenting the cook still trumps annoying the doctor," threatened the asari with a point of her fork. 

"Where does the pilot fit in that list?"

"Oh come one, how about the engineer?"

"You'd all having nothing without the requestion officer!"

Any debate in the room ended as the boss entered the meeting lounge, all attention immediately turned to him. Waiting to see if he disapproved of an unauthorized use of the meeting area. Alec's eyes wandered the room, his jaw clenching. The Ryder twins jumped to their feet, Elsee taking the lead. But before her mouth opened his hand waved to dispel the words, taking up the last plate. The twins returned to their seat, but the conversation did not.

Alec leaned against the consoles, brown eyes focusing on his daughter, "So what happened on Eos?"

"N-nothing that I didn't report," Elsee stammered.

"I mean," the man sighed, "how was it? How was activating the vault?"

"It was great, scary, but great," she was fumbling, grasping at something to discuss, "I just wonder why they would program a death cloud to chase the person trying to fix the planet."

"That is curious if they had meant to inhabit the world I wonder why they would secure it in a way that required running away from the vault on activation."

"Unless they were that worried about having someone to protect if from, perhaps someone... or something had tried to use their technology against them?" More answers at this point would be helpful, but it all came with more questions.

"That is a good point, the Milky Way can't be the only place where the locals like to fight each other," Alec's smile crept across his face, relaxing the rest of the crew into eating.

"I'm just surprised we haven't found anyone else, other than the machines after all Eos was at least survivable with the right protection from radiation," she mused, "the flora and fauna still seemed to be active enough."

"Or perhaps we came after an extinction event."

"You think the Nexus will let us borrow a drill?"

"Leave that to the colonists," Alec countered with a full smile. Enjoying his first taste of food. His daughter had learned well from her mother; it was just painful to mention. The familiar dish leaving him feeling less empty than he thought. Had that been the last time they had all enjoyed a meal together? "Just for now, we can be curious once we are completely established."

"To escaping a death bubble!" Vetra began.

"To not dying," Liam added.

"To excellent food," cheered Lexi.

The rest agreed with the doctor, with one notable person simply raising a glass. 

"I think Elsee here should be designated cook," Gil looked over the empty pans, "this puts my best dish to shame."

"I'm sure I can find more contraband spices," Vetra hummed.

"I have some nice Salarian dishes I think the crew would enjoy."

"Not if it involves bug, Kallo," Cora teased, "I don't think she could even make that taste good."

"That's very r-"

Suvi cut off the Salarian, "say you can bake too?"

"I think it needs less baking soda," Scott's words drew an eye roll from his sister and a bemused smirk from Alec.

"Har, har, Scott," Her eyes wandered to Liam, who still said nothing. She glanced away, pretending not to make awkward eye contact with the Turian that sat next to him. 

The crew returned to conversation in various groups between themselves. Alec mostly questioned Elsee who was at ease answering his questions and sharing theories with him. Scott urged himself to look away, and focus on his plate. Still not finding his place in this group. He didn't want to end the rare bonding between Father and Daughter as they discussed the potential of their discoveries on the Heleus cluster. They would never see it, but they shared a fair amount in common. When they weren't busy egging each other on about something asinine.

Vetra leaned into Liam, "Say something nice, stupid."

"Just like mum's cooking," Liam blurted into a crowd that had long since changed subjects, Vetra pinched him for good measure, "thank you for the meal, El."

The crew regarded him curiously, and Elsee colored. Scott glanced between the two, and Alec glared fiercely at the man. 

"I'll, uh, I'll gather plates and start cleaning up then," Liam bound from his seat, yanking the empty plate away from Vetra.


	5. Chapter 5

"So Vetra, about that offer to find me sp-"

"Already ahead of you, Ryder," The Turian rumbled, swiveling the chair around, "I found a group back on the Nexus that will grow whatever you need. Apparently, your spice collection means a few more plant species brought to Andromeda from the Milky way." 

Elsee beamed, "I knew leaving behind my stuffed animal collection was a good idea."

The Turian snorted, "you could get all the stuffed animals you wanted from even a pinch of saffron."

"Anymore than that would ruin a dish anyway."

"That does mean giving up some of your collection."

The Tempest lurched nothing like being thrown from their feet but enough of a lull forward to break the monotony of a usually smooth ride. Vetra and Elsee's attention turned to their Omni-tools for a diagnosis of the problem. When nothing came, Vetra pushed out of her seat, and Elsee started for the door.

"Another impromptu upgrade from Gil?"

"Not enough screaming is coming from the flight deck for that," Vetra murmured, following her lead, "and you Dad reamed Gil the last time that happened."

"He's so friendly."

"Better than your old man getting you kicked off of your home world."

"Fine, you barely win this round," she teased the Turian.

Vetra's soft chuckling drew the attention of everyone, the somber mood turning sour. Bright green lights flooded the cockpit, six eyes that dwarfed the Tempest threatening to devour them at any moment. While the smaller t-shaped ships loomed in a blockade, curving around the ship so that it could not maneuver around them. Elsee didn't need to see what was behind them to know they were trapped. 

"They are scanning us, Pathfinder."

Alec's face contorted, and Elsee rose on her tiptoes to try and see more. Liam's bulkier figure protecting her from the full view. Mostly obscuring the figure that projected onto the video screen, only able to seem some of the cream-colored bone that made up the crest. Kett.

"Where is the one who activated the Remnant?" The slightly mechanic voice demanded, "their DNA signature is there. Answer me."

Alec was not at all pleased, his voice barring none of his irritation, "You're the one in my way. Who are you?"

Elsee attempted to push passed Liam, earning a gentle shoulder grab to stall her attention, "El," shaking his head, a corner of his lip raised. He did not like this; she had activated both pieces of Remnant technology, whatever he wanted was not good for her survival.

The ship moved as if it had been yanked from a box by a grabby child. Luckily the ship, in this case, had caught against something and resisted the first initial pull. 

"They've locked navigation!"

"We're being steered into their ship!"

Alec slammed his fists into the console, "Just tell me what you want!"

"I am not interested in your-- Ah."

Alec pivoted to the familiar presence of his daughter, her face curiously going between the screen and him. Whatever this Kett wanted obviously focusing on her, instead of anything else they could offer. He would never get it.

The Pathfinder's arm stuck out in front of Elsee so that she could not move any closer.

"What do you want?" Elsee's bold question answered with a harsh glare from her Father. 

The Kett seemed a little more willing to share his thoughts, "I won't explain what you can't understand."

"I actually know a lot about the Remnant," her pluckiness just intensified the glare, but damn if it wasn't the few more seconds SAM needed, "we should compare notes."

"Enough!" it was interesting on how that struck a note with the alien, he must have been some high ranking member to hate the idea of collaboration, "your defiance is naive and reckless. This day marks the beginning of your greatness."

Elsee grinned wide, that was her favorite compliment. Usually mentioning that to her made it a challenge to try and defy previous expectations of naive and reckless. So much that the thought made her chuckle in the face of the enemy that could very easily eliminate them at any given moment. 

The lights began to turn on around them, screens returning to their normal messages. With the Kett no longer looming above them, the crew relaxed a little. Suvi and Kallo sending each other glances to confirm that the ship was back under their control.

"SAM," Alec questioned.

"I have plotted a potential course through the Scourge."

"Do it!"

The Tempest took a tight turn that left everyone with little time to hold on. Alec pressed Elsee into the round bars, before gripping to the central portion himself, "Report!"

"Enemy destroyed. Damage to aft sensors!" At least a positive came from Suvi's mouth.

"Scourge got it?"

Suvi affirmed.

"It will be tight," SAM warned, as the scourge seemed to press in closer around the ship. Taking out something with each little bump that sent the crew swaying. 

But Kallo was adept at flying through these dangerous clouds, exclaiming loudly as they reached open space, "Yes!"

"Nice work, kid," sincerely breathed Alec, "but who the hell was that guy?"

"A major dick," huffed Liam.

"Pathfinder, we've got trouble down here! You need to find us a port, now!" Gil interrupted over the comms.

"Great," Alec's eyes rolled, "where did we end up?"

Suvi attempted to corral the computers into giving her a better response, but it wasn't happening, "Sensors are damaged, but I think we are at the vault's co-ordinates."

"You think?" it wasn't good enough for him, but it was likely all he would get, "Gil, give it what you can. We're settling down." The planet from first look did not seem promising. Rivers of lava carved into what looked like cooled lava didn't appear to be the place to land a burning ship. 

But where there was one fire, another always seemed to crop up.

"We're being contacted."

Six ships pinged on the sensors, forming around them as the ship broke the atmosphere.

"We need to land," Alec's fingers drummed against the metal, "open a comm."

"Tove jajalesh do!" shouted a voice.

This was the perfect time to meet a new alien race, while every minute resulted in another error message.

"Tove jajalesh do," did he imagine that it sounded more irritated? 

Elsee looked over Suvi's typing, a wide grin starting to form on her face. Her eyes only glancing to her father after he failed to respond to the alien voice.

"We're visitors from another galaxy. Our intentions are peaceful," Alec didn't convince his daughter, earning the same sideways look Ellen used to give him all the time when he was about to be an ass. It wasn't a secret he was uncomfortable around new people and had a difficult time around the ones he knew.

"Paav, nele set do," the voice replied as another ping uploaded to the Tempest.

"They've sent us a nav point," Kallo reminded, stirring the crew's attention from their individual thoughts. 

Alec nodded, diverting his attention to the patch of green amid the black and yellow background surrounding it. An oasis in the desert. 

"It's beautiful," Elsee murmured, straining on her toes as if it would let her see more of the green landscape before them.

"Team, suit up, we need to be careful," Alec ordered, most the of the crew already heading for their gear.

"Suit up?" Elsee questioned his command, "really?"

His head titled at her curiously, the team gossips that they were remained to hear this out, "and why not?"

"They already didn't shoot at us, unlike the Kett, so point one these guys, and," Elsee formulated her words, "we're the ones running to them in a burning ship. I don't think showing up fully plated and loaded is a smart idea. We need this to go right."

"I'm the Pathfinder- first contact is on me," he corrected, his face returned to a scowl, "and if that means getting shot at I'm doing it on even ground."

"Spoken like a hardened N7," Elsee muttered, arms folding across her chest, "not someone known for making friends."

Alec huffed, bringing in air to puff out his chest, "no gear, no leaving the ship. Got it, soldier?" 

======

Elsee's first mistake had been in confronting him in front of the crew. Alec was already wired from running into the Kett, his temper already at a dangerous low from being stuck in the med clinic while his daughter got to traverse around Eos. Now the frustration multiplied as the packed bay grew stale and awkward, each member taking turns with giving him a look. Scott was oblivious to particular circumstances as he was caught in engineering with Gil during the encounter, but he read the room well. The absence of his sister another telling sign of the events he missed.

"If anyone would like to object, you may stay behind, and we can drop you off at the Nexus at our earliest convenience," Alec snapped at the group after Cora lingered for too long in his space.

Vetra's mandibles wavered, Cora and Scott remained silent and still.

Liam looked through the glass window that revealed the hallway. He looked close to saying something or running, but for now, his emotions remained in check. His finger tapped on the gun, debating with it inwardly cheeks puffing in and out as he avoided anything other than ignoring the Pathfinder. The boy shared much in common with his daughter, and the two were often found together, a fact that had not escaped his notice. He didn't know which one of them was the worst influence on the other. For now, Liam remaining obedient to the loose ranking system was enough.

Alec rolled his head from side to side, fingers following the grooves of the Paladin pistol- the chosen weapon for this encounter. Glancing at the others in turn in the last check to ensure that they were ready for this.

A twist of anxiety with a twinge of excitement brewed in his gut, mixing with the restlessness that always inhabited him.

The door opened into a brighter world, the rushing of waterfalls filling the air around him. The fresh smell of air filtered by an abundance of plants- something none of them had naturally experienced since leaving their homes. The large plants reminding him of a tropical ecosystem, but that was something his daughter would know more about. The creatures coming at him with guns and armed to the point of covering their heads. The helmets looked similar in design to his own, but the wide neck covering was strikingly different. They also had broader and meatier chest, leaving the rest of the body to continue out without any other major flares or dips. 

This amount of observation only coming after his gun aimed back at the aliens. The ground team following the Pathfinder's lead. 

In combat, he found, it was either very loud or silent. This was the latter of the two. The strange species sights set on them, their separated index finger hovering just above the trigger. The team behind him collectively hold their breaths, waiting to see who would move first, them or the strangers.

They moved first, a blue light attached to something like an Omni-tool scanning over the Pathfinder, but at a safe distance. Alec felt this was enough to lower his weapon, not take it out of his hand, but to lower the pistol. The four behind him followed as the species began to call back and forth to each other. 

A stray alien unmasked to reveal flaps of skin making a sort of mane around their heads, ran for the rest with a long gun held tightly in his hands. The rest didn't notice him, as they continued the chattered between them. They continued to ignore him, even as his scope focused on the strangers at their port. 

The shot missed.

Elsee yelped from behind him, pulling his attention to the smoldering metal. He couldn't bring himself to quite yet face his disobedient child, his hesitation granting her time to move. The block preventing his temper from rising disintegrated with the misfire that was an infinite time more insulting than a shot taken at him. If these -people- fired at an unarmed civilian they could never work in peace.

His pistol pulling from his hip, much more rapidly than lining up the shot to hit the zig-zagging alien. With another breath, the trigger released.

His mind pictured the grey-blue streak of alien falling to the ground in a pool of his blood, but what manifested were muted brown eyes and a streak of identically colored hair. Armored in nothing but a layer of cotton and other blended materials, she took the full impact. Or rather her right shoulder shattered. Sending her tumbling to the feet of the aliens, so paralyzed by the pain to realize the predicament she was tossed into.

The alien previously holding the scanner shouted something, and the entire squad moved away from the writhing human. Gil, Suvi, and SAM screaming in his ear ignored for his instinct to pull his offspring out of trouble.


	6. Chapter 6

_Scott had always loved winter, the slow drift of snow to the Earth. The silence as flakes blanketed away the colors into stark whiteness. Where things could remain silent, untouched even if for just a little while. It was soothing him, reminding him of home and things he wished didn't have to change. For now, having her home was enough._  
  
_A gentle tug of his bun woke him from drowsy thoughts, "Little brother."_  
  
_"Sister."_  
  
_"Come on," she whined, "hot chocolate is ready. We need to put up the ornaments."_  
  
_"But Elsee," Scott wasn't sure why he was whining, he liked it just as much, "we're twenty-one, single. Why are we putting up decorations like kids?"_  
  
_"I already spiked the cocoa, Scott."_  
  
_Scott sighed, "it better be strong."_  
  
_The shake of her head bid him not to worry about it, as she retreated to grab their drinks. Scott stared at the empty tree in the corner of the room, the room around it naked except for a couch. The rest of the house was empty or piled high with packing boxes, the last thing to take care of before the house was sold. Elsee had talked him into spending_ a last _Christmas there, together. Alec didn't show, but Scott knew he had to make an effort on this front. Despite how many painful memories the house dug up._  
  
_It was easier with the place almost gutted and bare, but heartbreaking in the same note._  
  
_"Here you go," Elsee interrupted for the second time, "why the long face?"_  
  
_Scott shook his head; even she wasn't her usual self in this old house, "neigh."_  
  
_Elsee snorted, resorting to taking a drink rather than respond. Scott mirrored her._  
  
_"Did you put any cocoa in this?"_  
  
_"I had hoped it would bring out our inner child."_  
  
_Scott took his turn awkwardly chuckling, before braving another gulp of the hot liquid. Elsee scooted toward the box still closed by the tree, sitting cross-legged before it. Being the shortest of the Ryder clan, she was used to handing out the ornaments rather than being the one to put them on the tree. Slowly, reverently, she opened the box- four foam snowflakes lying flat on the top._  
  
_Two white, one purple, and one blue. Four names, covered in stickers and gems that only children could appreciate. The two white snowflakes were more orderly and a little less decorated, but somehow a few decorations had snuck onto both. Elsee gently touched the white snowflake with their mother's name on it. Looking to Scott before she dared to take it out of the box._  
  
_The sap had tears in her eyes._  
  
_They were both_ saps _._  
  
_"I'm so sorry," Scott blubbered._  
  
_"I know how you are when you are upset," Elsee murmured, "I forgive you."_  
  
_"I'm sure Dad hates himself, too."_  
  
_"Let's not focus on that right now, please."_  
  
_To cement the turning of his attention, she placed the snowflake in his hand, his fingers smoothing the plastic pipe cleaner that served to hang the snowflake. Placing it in the center of the tree. With his father's snowflake, he debated on where to hang it. Every year it was still a fight on who got to be next to mom. Usually, it was a spirited debate or based on some silly game like rock, paper, scissors... or a chilling game of tic tac toe. He put Alec's name above Ellen's. Elsee's name came next, he put that to the left bottom corner._  
  
_"Oh, little Arden Ryder," she mused from below._  
  
_The_ grunt _was subconscious at this point. His legal first name was not Scott, part Arden. He never liked it, likely never would. It was so easy to make fun of that he insisted he_ be _called by his middle name._  
  
_Again overcoming the urge to rip the ornament, he put it_ under _the right side of his mother's name. His hand_ empty _when he returned to hang the next ornament. He lightly pushed her shoulder in the attempt to rouse her._  
  
_"I think, we should only put those up. There isn't a point in the rest, it will just make a mess," being pragmatic wasn't usual for her either. But they could always try again later. If there was a later._  
  
_"Elsee, I really think you should join us," Scott finally mumbling the thought stuck in his mind._  
  
_"Why?"_  
  
_Scott huffed, fidgeted, and took a drink before he could answer, "we need you."_  
  
_"I don't want to talk about this either," Elsee admitted, her hand resting on the envelope that was next in the layer. Placing that beside her revealed an old Polaroid, and rolls of film saved in a container to preserve them._  
  
_"Are you really going to make us take a picture this year?" Scott remarked, settling beside his sister._  
  
_"Only after we look at the photos, Arden."_  
  
_"Ugh."_  
  
_Elsee gently pulled the photos from the container, the first one a picture of their parents close in age to Scott and Elsee now. The next few were more pictures of their parents, in various poses. Usually, Alec looking slightly perturbed. The next picture was of an ultrasound, and two sets off booties resting on Ellen's large stomach and a beaming Alec. His expression turned to stress, happiness, then a level of calm with each picture that marked a passing of a year. The last picture was a little different, with a sickly looking Ellen and a worried Alec._  
  
_Decided on not lingering on the picture, Elsee leaned into Scott holding the ancient camera at arm's length. "Say cheese!"_  
  
======  
  
Scott watched Liam throwing his weight into the punching bag, eager to throw some of his anger into something that wouldn't scream for expressing it. With each strike came a grunt, with each grunt the intensity grew pushing him harder. Soon a sheen of sweat covered his body, reflecting the harsh light of the room.  
  
Scott must have been staring too long, as Liam sauntered up to the weight bench he had perched on.  
  
"Ryder," accent becoming heavier in his recent effort, "want to go for a bout?"  
  
"Sure," the words stuck awkwardly in his throat, "Liam."  
  
The man barely threw him a look in return, ducking under the ropes of the makeshift boxing arena. Scott all the while debating if it was proper to remove his own shirt, or if the man was doing it out of sheer confidence. With the jury coming in, he decided on not removing his shirt.  
  
Liam circled first, giving it a couple of passes before leaping in to strike recklessly. Scott parried most of the hits with little injury, used to this sort of brawling. Watching the Relays was usually a boring job with little to bother them, so they found other ways to keep amused during their long shifts. Sparring being one of the more acceptable ways to pass the time.  
  
Liam struck fast, and without hesitation. His punches aiming high. Scott didn't want to read far into it, but he also knew when another was angry in the way they sparred. Punches aimed for the face, the little scowls, and increased aggression. With Liam, the aggression was hard to place because Scott didn't know him too well, but the little scowls set him off. The man was unusually full of jokes and smiles, and that was lacking completely at the moment.  
  
"You're working hard," Scott's light attitude caught Liam off guard long enough to make a square hit.  
  
"All the time," Liam wiped his mouth, "started young. The smart little kid. Got angry a lot."Liam's punch connected hard with Scott's jaw, sending him stumbling back, "side effect of giving a shit."  
  
"Liam, what's going on?" Scott raised his arms to defend from the next volley.  
  
"We settled an outpost, gave some people hope. Great," the words coming with fiercer punches, leaving Scott on permanent guard duty, "But things went wrong. Shots get fired, and some of our team gets hurt. Nothing wants to be friendly with us, and nobody wants to take that risk to be friendly first. Goddamn it."  
  
"You're taking on a lot," Scott was losing ground quick, "making all of this your problem."  
  
"It is our problem, we're not going back," the next punch connected with Scott's nose, drawing blood, "we have to make it work."  
  
He swiped the back of his hand under his nose, "Yeah, punching me is going to do that. Do we have a problem, Kosta?" Scott returned all the anger directed at him boxing the man squarely in his cheek.  
  
"No," Liam must have answered out of reflex, "maybe. We came here to make a new home, and all I see is crew responsible for doing that fighting." His arms raised, attempting to end the fight before both of them just got pissed off, "I know I was an only child, but my family never fought like that. The one time my mum got sick we waited by her the entire time. Seems unfair to let any of your family be left alone when they are down."  
  
Scott tightened.  
  
"Maybe we should have listened to Elsee and gone in unarmed, instead of hot," Liam sighed, turning his back on Ryder, "maybe things would have been different. What if they could have been our friends?"  
  
Scott's silence seemed to fuel Liam, rather than encourage him to stop.  
  
"I need something...familiar," the man stooped down, swiping up a water bottle and offering it to Scott, "it has to be 'home.' I won't let my new squabbling family stop that."  
  
He took the peace offering, taking a swig out of courtesy, "have you met my dad?"  
  
"I bet he has something that will make him soft, the scary ones always do," Liam cooed with a bit too much enthusiasm.  
  
Scott chuckled at the prospect if he could find that thing more power to him. Even at Alec reaching his goal of finding new stars to explore he was restless, maybe even worse than ever. At this point, it was just part of the man, like his eye color.  
  
"But seriously, come see your sister at some point," Liam clapped his shoulder, "she'd like it."  
  
It was easier to try and forget that Elsee laid in a hospital bed, still out from reconstructive surgery. They had been lucky the strangers had let them leave without any issues. Luckier that Lexi had managed to keep her from losing the entire arm. The ball and a portion of her upper arm replaced with a prosthetic. The prosthetic wasn't the problem, but the time required in therapy from the prosthetic would complicate an awkward situation.  
  
"Did you get him good?"  
  
Scott needed to pay more attention to what was going on around him, being spooked so often was getting old.  
  
"Yeah, you should see the other guy," he quipped.  
  
Vetra released a rumbling laugh, glancing over the blood down Scott's gym clothes, "was this a bad time to bring company?"  
  
Scott had spotted the Turian standing a few steps behind Vetra, very similar in crest shapes and coloring, but with red markings instead of purple, "I take it this is the pain in the ass little sister?"  
  
"Watch who you call little," Sid huffed.  
  
"I do have the high ground," Scott added, standing in the ring raising him just high enough to look over both of their heads. It was a nice feeling for once.  
  
"Sid," it came more as a warning, "Scott. Scott, Sid."  
  
He thrust out his hand somewhat awkwardly, but the younger Turian seemed to not mind.  
  
Vetra grinned brightly between the two, pleased that the introductions had gone well, "I just wanted to stop so that Sid would stop harping on me to meet the Ryders."  
  
"Vetra, I did not," Sid called out in indignation, "you wanted an excuse to-"  
  
Vetra shooed the girl from the Nexus training room, leaving Scott alone to grin like an idiot.


	7. Chapter 7

"Another meeting with the Nexus leaders?" Scott asked Alec.  
  
Interrupting his father's jaunt between the garden's rows.  Just a few blocks away from the Nexus hospital wards, closer than the Nexus headquarters that required a tram ride. Scott knew better than phrasing such things directly, so he worked it from another angle. Inviting his father to the bench beside him with a wave of his hand, luckily, goading his father into joining him was not required.  
  
Scott looked down the rows of beans tightly woven around tall trellises. They were slotted next to some dextro vegetable he did not recognize; he would need to ask Elsee about them when she woke up.  
  
"Yes," Alec pulled in a haggard breath, "we were discussing those aliens, Angara, that we failed to negotiate with."  
  
"Oh?" Scott urged.  
  
"Apparently, their first impression of our species was already ruined by the exiles," he let out a strange chuckle, "at least the mighty Pathfinder has that going for him."  
  
"Now that they've seen our worst, how can't they just fall in love with us," Scott replied.  
  
The space between them was widening once again as the words fell through the cracks. It was comfortable. But comfortable, Scott was learning, wasn't always healthy. That it was so easy just to bide their time and say nothing until one of them worked up the guts to leave, nothing lost without the possibility to gain. It was why Father and Son still managed to communicate, or at least abide in the same space without the tension driving them apart.   
  
"I'm going to risk sounding hypocritical here but," Scott gave Alec time to work the shiver through his system, "it would mean a lot to Elsee if you'd just see her."  
  
"You sound like-"  
  
 _My mother?_ Scott's mind screamed, but still, it was impossible to manifest. Picking at this scar would do nothing to assuage the festering wound already threatening to become the next tragedy. Andromeda had fewer safe places to run, and it wouldn't be the survival ready N7 doing the running.  
  
"I don't want to admit it, but she was probably right," Alec's honesty frankly jarring, Scott never knew him to be 'wrong' about anything, "she got hurt, and I'm not sure seeing her old man would make that any better."  
  
"She's probably more terrified that you're going to ground her," his attempt at humor hardly helped, "as long as you don't yell it wouldn't hurt."  
  
"That Kosta kid is always there; I don't want to be in the way."   
  
"You actually approve?" The glare Scott got meant 'no,' "but you always said, excuses are like asses, everyone has one."  
  
Alec's face twisted into a complete scowl, his teachings that came back to him stung a little. In a complete reversal of an earlier time, Scott was the one laughing. Deepening the shade of red his father's face turned, drawing the curious of more than one passerby.   
  
"That's not fair," sputtered Alec.  
  
"You know the minds of children, moldable."  
  
Now Scott was reaching to extended the length of the relaxed conversation, but his naturally distant father tended to return to that state. There was nothing more for him to say, and lecturing on the subject would get them nowhere. Until Scott worked up the courage there was little chance Alec would visit either. Walking into a hospital, no matter how many galaxies they traveled was too familiar, too raw for either of them to cope with yet, still.  
  
It was too bad they couldn't order flowers and chocolates.  
  
======  
  
El's eyes opened slowly, blinking rapidly as her pupils adjusted to the harsh lights. A slow smile pulling the corner of her lips, "Mmm," her voice cracked, "Prince Charming awakens me from my slumber."  
  
He felt his smile spread quickly, instinctively bowing his head to hide it, mostly to spare her his snicker.   
  
Her cheeks turned red, as her eyes pulled away from him. Trailing to the blue sling that kept her arm bound, looking at the thing as if it were an old enemy. He regretted he couldn't time being there when she woke up.  
  
"So, did your dad and Scott visit?" Liam dared to question.  
  
The space around her hospital bed was empty; he even had to drag the chair from the corner where he had stashed it after the last visit. It was a shame that he couldn't at least get her a balloon, or something to spruce up the sterile space. To make her smile.  
  
"No, but I got a cheerful message about the next lift off schedule," El bobbed along happily, "must have forgotten to remove me from the message. At least you won't be stuck on the Nexus much longer."  
  
"That's..that's fucked up, El," he didn't buy it, the happy act. His expression molding into a frown.  
  
Elsee's smile faded, brown eyes averting his gaze by focusing on the space between them, "it's far from the worst thing they have done. But, to be fair, I understand why they didn't show up."  
  
"I'd always show up for family. It's a rule," Liam all but declared, with a gentle hand on her knee. Earning a warm smile from Ryder, who tried to hide her blush with a tip of her head. Wavy hair cascaded across her face.   
  
"It isn't that they don't care, it's just hospitals are bad omens in the Ryder clan," she forced the smile into a grin, "Mom kinda died last time we were in one. The Ryder male is a surprisingly sentimental specimen."  
  
"Shit," Kosta murmured, "are you trying to make me feel bad?"  
  
"No, I'm quite over it now," Elsee chuckled, "it still hurts from time to time, but at least I have been able to move on. She had accepted it at the end, and I had too. Scott and my Dad never did."  
  
"I'm sorry," he muttered in response.  
  
"Don't be, please," El's left hand hovered mere centimeters above his, finally taking the plunge to connect physically, though awkwardly, at his fingers. He held back any reaction until her vice like grip relaxed, being a little off was normal.  
  
The silence Liam connected with the Ryder's returned, her face pensive as she fought at something to say. He wanted to say it too, but opening his mouth was usually stupid. It said the worst things. Never the things he wanted.  Her touch was enough for it, but was it for her? She smiled, El always smiled, but something in his gut told him wasn't completely honest.  
  
"You ever going to make good on all your flirting, Elsee Ryder?" his mouth blurted out the first inane thing it could pick off. Of course, he would, it couldn't be a simple how is your arm doing, or at least how she was feeling. Fuck, anything other than accusing her of flirting.   
  
Even if it was obvious.  
  
Like the angel she was, El balked- but in an entirely positive way. A wry smile tugged at the corner of her lips, "I was just, uh, you know... following the guidelines of the perfect storybook fairytale. Guy wakes up girl, twice in our case already. They're smitten at first glance, well, one of us at least in our case-," now she began to look terrified, "but it's actually a tragedy where one is just a major creep, just as they were trying to show minor interest. Ugh."  
  
"I was hooked until the ending," Liam tried to maintain eye contact, already her hand pulling away, throttling his own amusement as much as he could, "heh, you're better than that Ryder."  
  
Queue the eye roll, "Yes, well,  screw it. I'm owning it."Another disgusted noise managed to come from her mouth, and she was visibly looking for a physical exit.  
  
"See, I _knew_ it," now Liam had another thing to list on his book of regrets from this conversation alone, a violent puff of air hissing from her mouth.   
  
"I'm blaming this on the drugs, for at least the next five minutes," El declared stoutly, finding herself letting out another hiss as she disturbed her still tender shoulder by attempting to fold her arms.   
  
"I'll be kind and disappear before you start sprouting poetry," he teased, earning another eye roll and a complete turn of her head, teeth digging into lips hard enough to look painful.  
  
"All right, interest returned," Liam literally bowed out of the hospital.  
  
El's curse not escaping his hearing.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry guys, the next chapter won't be as rough. A lot of boring ground to cover.


End file.
